Toni Cade Bambara

Toni Cade Bambara photo

Toni Cade Bambara (March 25, 1939 - December 9, 1995), born Miltona Mirkin Cade, lived the first ten years of her life in Harlem.  Toni Cade Bambara was a writer, activist, feminist, and filmmaker. In 1982, in a taped interview with Kay Bonetti, Bambara reflected on her work: "When I look back at my work with any little distance the two characteristics that jump out at me is one, the tremendous capacity for laughter, but also a tremendous capacity for rage." Bambara spent her entire life writing about both. Her ability to laugh and imbue laughter into her stories came from her strong conviction and belief in family and community. Her rage came from the injustices she saw in the treatment of children, the elderly, and the oppressed black community   

Biography excerpted from University of Minnesota; read their full citation. Large image from A Joyous Revolt: Toni Cade Bambara, Writer and Activist by Linda Janet Holmes.

Also check out Thabiti Lewis who has written extensove of Bambara’s work.

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9 Books by Toni Cade Bambara